Heel-spring.



WMfW 0 W No. 001,000. PATENTED JULY 20, 1907.

G.. B. SWAN.

' HEEL SPRING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 21, 1906.

ll 717mm!!! ll Willa-"III"!!! lmmm wi/lmeoom I I Stud/2.

1-H: NORRIS PETERS cm, wAsHmdmM, n. c.

GEORGE E. SWAN, OF BEAVER DAM, WISCONSIN.

HEEL-SPRING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application filed June 21,1906. Serial No. 322,780.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE E. SWAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Beaver Dam, in the county of Dodge and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heel-Springs; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in heel springs.

The object of the invention is to provide a spring adapted to be inserted into the heel of a shoe to provide an elastic and yielding tread for the same. I

A further object is to provide a spring of this character which will be simple, strong and durable in construction, efficient in operation, and formed from a single strip of spring metal.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:Figure 1 is a perspective view of the lower side of a shoe heel, showing the application of the invention thereto; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same; and Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the device removed from the heel;

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 denotes the spring, which is preferably constructed of a single strip of spring metal bent to form a base or attaching plate 2, the outer end of which is bent at right angles thereto and curved to form a loop 3, the end of which is extended parallel to the plate 2, as at 3. The opposite end of the attaching plate 2 is bent upwardly and forwardly, thence downwardly and rearwardly to form an inner or upper loop 4 and is then doubled upon itself and bent forwardly to form a second inner or lower loop 5. The looped portion 5 is substantially parallel to the looped portion 4, said looped portion 5 being adapted to bear near one end on a fulcrum point 6 formed in the base plate 2 by bending the latter to form a short inwardly-projecting curve. The forward end of the looped portion 5 is bent at an angle and turned into a bearing loop or coil 7, which is adapted to project below the surface of the other parts of the spring and provides a contact or bearing portion which engages the ground. The coil 7 engages and bears upon the end 3 of the loop 3, which latter increases the resistance of the coil 7.

In the attaching portion or plate 2 and the end 3 of the loop 3 are formed alined screwholes 8, in which is arranged a screw 9 to attach the spring to the heel and in the recess 10 formed in the forward edge of the heel to receive the same, as shown. If desired, the spaces between the folds or looped portions of the strip may be filled with soft rubber, whereby dirt and other foreign matter will be kept from between said bends and hole while at the same time the elasticity of the spring will not be impaired.

A spring constructed as herein shown and described will be inexpensive and may be readily applied to the heel of a shoe and when in use will afford great ease to I the wearer in walking.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more extended explanation.

Various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. A heel spring constructed of a single strip of metal,

bent to form an attaching plate, forwardly bent spring loops, a fulcrum engaged by one of the inner loops, a tread portion, and means to attach said spring to the heel of a shoe, substantially as described.

2. A heel spring constructed of a single strip of metal bent to form an apertured attaching plate, forwardly and rearwardly bent spring loops, a curved fulcrum point formed on said attaching plate to receive said looped portions of the spring, a tread coil formed on the end of one of the loops, a downwardly-projecting loop on the forward end of said attaching plate, said loop having a rearwardly-,

projecting apertured end, parallel with said attaching plate, and adapted to be engaged by said tread coil, and an attaching screw adapted to be inserted through the apertures in said end and in said attaching plate, substantially as described.

3. A heel spring constructed of a single strip of metal bent to form an attaching plate, forwardly and rearwardly bent spring loops, a curved fulcrum point formed on said attaching plate to receive said looped portions of the spring and a tread coil formed on the end of one of the loops.

4. A heel spring constructed of a single strip of metal bent to form an attaching plate, forwardly and rearwardly bent spring loops, a curved fulcrum point formed on said attaching plate to receive said looped portions of the spring and a tread coil formed on the end of one of the loops, a downwardly projecting loop on the forward end of said attaching plate, said loop having a curved portion and a rearwardly projecting end parallel with said attaching plate.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. SWAN.

Witnesses CHAS. C. BROWN, MAMIE C. WELLER. 

